University of Minnesota Athletics
GOPHER WOMEN"S HOCKEY COMPLETES 2000-01 SEASON
3/20/2001 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
The fifth-ranked Minnesota women's hockey team (23-9-2, 18-4-2 WCHA Women's League) did not receive a berth to the NCAA Women's Frozen Four and its 2000-2001 season is complete. The Golden Gophers earned the WCHA-Women's League regular season title, but finished fifth in the computer rankings at the close of the season.
University to Host Inaugural NCAA Women's Frozen Four
No. 1-ranked Dartmouth, Minnesota-Duluth, Harvard and St. Lawrence have earned bids to the 2001 NCAA Inaugural Women's Frozen Four, held at Mariucci Arena. Dartmouth (26-3-1) received the tournament's top seed and will face the No. 4 seed, St. Lawrence (23-7-3), on Friday at 4 p.m. The second semifinal will feature No. 2 seed Minnesota-Duluth (26- 5-4) versus No. 3 seed Harvard (23-9-0) at 7:30 p.m. The losers will play in the third-place game Sunday at 1 p.m., while the winners will play for the first NCAA Championship at 5 p.m.
Kennedy Named WCHA-Women's League Player of the Year, Kazmaier Finalist
Senior Courtney Kennedy (Woburn, Mass./Buckingham Browne & Nichols) was named the WCHA Women's League Player of the Year at the conference tournament banquet in Rochester, Minn. Kennedy was one of four University of Minnesota players to capture all-conference honors.
Kennedy also tabbed Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading the Gophers to the WCHA regular-season title and a conference- low 2.19 goals against average. Kennedy led the Gophers in plus/minus rating with a +39 rating. She led the team with 19 power-play assists and was second on the team with 20 power-play points. She led all defense in the league in scoring with 41 points on 10 goals and 31 assists. Kennedy was a second-team All-WCHA selection last season.
Kennedy was also named one of three finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Award, which signifies the top player in women's college hockey. The award will be announced at the Patty Kazmaier Award Banquet, March 24, at the Radisson Hotel Metrodome in Minneapolis.
Other WCHA-Women's League Awards
Senior goalie Erica Killewald (Troy, Mich./Troy) joined Kennedy as a All-WCHA Women's League First Team honoree. Killewald, the MVP on the AWCHA National Championship a year ago, led the conference in goals against average at 2.12 and save percentage at .914, allowing 62 goals and collecting 657 saves.
Senior Ambria Thomas (Fairbanks, Alaska) repeated as a second-team All-WCHA pick at forward. Thomas finished second on the Gophers with 49 points on 25 goals and 24 assists. She ranked third in the WCHA with 11 power play goals.
First-year La Toya Clarke capped an outstanidng rookie season with second-team All-WCHA accord. The Gophers' leading scorer ranked fifth in the conference with 53 points on 21 goals and 32 assists. She ranked third in freshmen scoring, and fourth in assists and power play points.
Minnesota head coach Laura Halldorson shared Coach of the Year honors with St. Cloud State's Kerry Wethington. Halldorson led the Gophers to the WCHA regular-season crown with an 18-4-2 conference mark, 23-9-2 overall.
